


february dawn

by i_was_human



Category: Lost in Translation (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Daycare, De-Aged Characters, Fluff, Game Programmer Kang Dongho | D.Min, Junsu (Lost in Translation) & Kang Dongho | D.Min are Brothers, Lee Minsung is a Good Brother, M/M, No beta we die like mne, Secret Identity, aged-down characters, de-aged not age play what, jaedae are barely in there, they are literally six
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-03-07 15:49:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26600134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/i_was_human/pseuds/i_was_human
Summary: Minsung lovesFind a Way, the first indie game by up-and-coming developer D.Min, and the cute boy that works at his brother's daycare seems to love it too.
Relationships: Kang Dongho | D.Min/Lee Minsung
Comments: 5
Kudos: 16





	february dawn

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wildforwyld](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wildforwyld/gifts).



"Why can't I just have Kyunghun-ah do it?"

His mother sighs on the other end of the line, and Minsung groans, throwing his head back to stare into the sky. "Yes, yes, I know, brotherly bonding, but the last time I went there, I got paint in my hair. Paint. In my _hair_."

_"Minsung-"_

"He'll be happy to see me," Minsung groans, raking a hand through his hair. "Yes, I _know_."

_"He misses you a lot."_

"He's _six_."

_"Exactly. Look- Minsung-ah, could you please just visit him? He misses you a lot."_

"I know," Minsung mutters, "but that doesn't mean I wanna see him."

_"Lee Minsung-"_

He hangs up.

Look, Minsung loves his younger brother. He _does_. But Minsoo's six, and Minsung's a debuted idol, and Minsoo is _six_ , so their worlds have _no_ overlap.

Plus, he highly doubts Minsoo's even going to understand what he's talking about.

Fuck thirteen year age gaps.

He puts in an earbud as he catches sight of the daycare, dialing up his favorite track from _Find a Way_ \- "February Dawn". It's a soft piano track, and it's supposed to be played during the part where the main character realizes their friends were their family the entire time, and _agh_ , Minsung just really loves _Find a Way_ , okay.

It's a visual novel/open world simulation about a protagonist who gets to make friends with other people at his school, and it's supposed to come out really soon. Minsung, as one of the top backers, has gotten to see the beta, and _god_ , he loves it.

(he may have cried.)

"February Dawn" is his favorite track, though. It's his favorite track for his favorite ending - the ending where instead of running off or falling in love, the main character just goes to school with their newfound family - and he may or may not listen to it religiously.

Whoever D.Min is, they're a goddamn genius. 

He pushes open the door to the daycare, and he sighs upon seeing Minsoo sitting in the corner, paint covering his hands and lips pursed in a pout.

Great.

"Hey," he sighs, gaze flitting to the dark-haired man in the corner of the room. "Are you the one running this place?"

"For now," the man simply replies, and he turns, and _oh fuck he's hot_.

Sloping nose, sharp jaw, messy dark hair - Minsung's _smitten_.

"You're Minsoo's dad?"

"Brother," Minsung hurries to clarify, and the man makes a small noise Minsung interprets as an "oh". "Um. Why is he in the corner?"

"He dumped paint on Jaewon-ah's head," the man deadpans, and Minsung's gaze flits to a boy in the middle of the room whose dark hair is completely coated in red paint. "Then he fought with Jun-ah."

"Oh."

The man crosses the room, bending down next to Minsoo, and they exchange a few words before he leads Minsoo back to Minsung, the six-year-old's lips pursed in a pout. 

"Minsoo," Minsung warns, and his brother raises his head, dark eyes swimming with tears. 

Oh.

"Hey, hey, what's wrong?" Minsung murmurs, bending down to crouch in front of his younger brother. "What happened?"

"They're mean," Minsoo mumbles, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. "They're really mean, hyungie."

"They're mean?" Minsung asks, raising his head to stare at the man.

"Do you want to talk with them tomorrow?" the man asks, and Minsoo shakes his head.

"...wanna go home, hyungie."

"Okay. Are you excited to see Hyunjinnie-hyung?"

"Yeah!"

Minsung hefts Minsoo into his arms, and his younger brother squeals with delight, wrapping his arms around his neck. He turns to the man - the _very hot man_ \- and gives him a small grin, and the man nods, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"I'm Lee Minsung," he states, and the man nods.

"Kang Dongho. Will I see you again?"

"Sure," Minsung helplessly replies, and Dongho nods once more.

"Sounds good. Get home safe, Minsoo-yah."

Minsoo gives the worker a toothy grin, and Dongho gives him a fleeting one of his own.

That smile should be illegal, Minsung thinks.

* * *

That night, Minsung logs back onto _Find a Way_.

The main character - Minsung chose to name him _Min_ \- strolls through the halls of the school, and Minsung pulls out his in-game notebook, checking what he knows about everyone.

There's the class clown, Jongsoo, and the shy boy, Chiwon. There's the cheerful musician, Sanghyun, and the class loner, Jaeho. Jaeho's the hardest to interact with, so Minsung's been going back to try and get his secret scenes for a while, and he can't _wait_ to see who D.Min gets to voice act him for the final game.

 _"You're persistent,"_ Jaeho states, text popping up at the bottom of the screen, and Minsung grins, propping his chin on his hand as the familiar sounds of Jaeho's theme fill his ears. 

"Kittens and Bubble Tea".

He's much more obvious than he thinks he is.

Not for the first time, Minsung wishes he could know D.Min personally - if for nothing else, than to congratulate him on his music.

(and maybe so he could confirm his suspicion of D.Min being the one to sing on "Latest Night".)

* * *

The next time he goes to pick up Minsoo at the daycare, Dongho's covered in paint.

This is no exaggeration. Half of his head is covered in neon pink paint, and his hands are tie-dyed up to the elbow.

Not for the first time, Minsung reflects on how much he would hate to have this job.

"You came back," Dongho notes, and Minsung nods, gaze flitting to the speaker. 

The song playing is... familiar, somehow.

He frowns for a moment, trying to think of it, and then he snaps his fingers, eyes lighting up.

"'Sparkles and Justice'! You like _Find a Way_!"

" _You_ like _Find a Way_?" Dongho asks, seemingly stunned, and Minsung nods.

"Oh, man, I can't believe you actually like it! Who's your favorite character!"

"Either Jongsoo or Sanghyun," Dongho replies, and Minsung nods once more.

"I love Jaeho, but you can have your opinion."

Dongho nods, apparently bewildered, and Minsung frowns. "No bashing my favorite boy."

"What?"

"Where's Minsoo-yah?" Minsung asks, desperate to divert the conversation, and Dongho nods, gaze flitting to the corner.

Minsoo is, once again, sitting alone.

(Minsung may feel a little bit sad.)

"Can I play here with him for a little while?"

Dongho blinks at him before nodding, and Minsung grins, gaze flitting to the stereo. "You'd better play 'Sweet Heart Boy' next!"

"Um. Sure?"

Minsung nods, giving Dongho a bright grin before heading over to crouch next to Minsoo. "Hey, Soo-Soo."

"...hey, hyung."

"What's wrong, Soo-yah?" Minsung asks, and Minsoo sniffs, reaching up to rub his cheeks with his fists. 

"...can we go home, hyung?"

God, that-

that just breaks Minsung's heart.

"Yeah," Minsung whispers, reaching up to ruffle his hair. "Yeah, yeah, we can."

His gaze flits to Dongho, and he stands, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Can you stay here for a second, Soo-Soo?"

Minsoo nods, sniffing pathetically, and Minsung gives him a small smile, standing and heading for Dongho.

The man's trying to scrub some of the paint out of his hair when Minsung approaches, and he raises his head, gaze softening upon seeing the idol. "What's up?"

"Minsoo was crying," Minsung states, and Dongho exhales, flicking off the faucet and reaching up to scrub his hair with a towel. 

"He isn't getting along with the others. I've tried to speak with him, but he won't talk to them."

Minsung's gaze flits to the group of children in the center of the room, and Dongho sighs, dropping the towel on the side table. 

"Jaewon-ah and Daehyun-ah seem to want to be his friend, but he doesn't like Jun-ah."

Minsung stares at the boy with dark hair and marker scrawls covering his arms, and he nods.

"Do you want me to talk to him?" Dongho asks, and Minsung shakes his head. 

"I've got it."

Minsoo blinks at him as he approaches, and Minsung gives him what he hopes is a reassuring smile as he takes a seat. "Dongho-yah told me you don't have any friends, Soo-Soo."

"I have friends," Minsoo mumbles, and before Minsung can reply, his younger brother holds up a storybook. "See?"

Oh, Minsoo...

"Those kids really want to get to know you, though," Minsung murmurs, and Minsoo frowns, pulling his knees to his chest.

"I don't like them. They're mean."

Minsung stares at Jaewon and Daehyun for a moment - they're building a tower out of blocks, and Daehyun beams as Jaewon stretches to reach the top - and privately doubts that. 

"Why don't you talk to them, hmm?" he suggests, and Minsoo pouts, lower lip jutting out. 

"...don't wanna."

"Please? For me?"

"...'kay."

Minsung watches as his younger brother slowly approaches the pair, and Daehyun's eyes light up, the dark-haired boy bounding over to stuff a block into Minsoo's hands.

"You're a good brother," Dongho states, and Minsung gives him a crooked sort of grin.

"Not really."

"Hmm?"

"I mostly came back to see you."

Dongho snorts, reaching up to rake a hand through his paint-covered hair, and Minsung laughs, lips curling into a crooked grin. "What, is that so hard to believe?"

"You're _Lee Minsung_ ," Dongho points out, and Minsung shrugs. "You're one of the nation's sweethearts."

"And you're hot."

Dongho falls silent, and Minsung wants to leap out a window.

Why did he say that? _Why did he say that_? Maybe he should just shut the fuck up and _stop speaking_.

"You're hot too," Dongho finally replies, and Minsung lets out a broken little wheeze. "You know that already, though."

"Yep," Minsung wheezes, not yet trusting himself to say more. 

"I must say," Dongho muses, "this is one of the most unorthodox ways I've been asked out, but you're not doing terrible."

"What?"

"You're lucky you're hot."

"Um," Minsung intelligently replies, and Dongho fishes something out of his pocket - a paint-covered phone case.

"My little brother made it," he states, and Minsung clicks on the man's phone, gaze landing on a lock screen photo of _Find a Way_.

Man, Dongho's a fan.

"Put in your contact," Dongho states, and Minsung's never moved so fast.

* * *

"Hey, Dongho-yah!"

Dongho turns, paint-splattered hands clutching a toy, and he gives Minsung a haggard smile before turning back to the bickering boys.

"Jun-ah, you need to share with Minsoo-yah-"

"It's _mine_ ," Jun huffs, lower lip jutting out and ink-covered arms folding over his chest. 

"Jun-"

"Minsoo-yah," Minsung calls, and Dongho gives him a grateful look before handing Jun the toy. "I brought your DS."

"You spoil him," Dongho notes, and Minsung shrugs. 

"You won't even let me treat you to dinner. I have to spoil _someone_."

"Oh," Dongho states, snapping his fingers and rooting through something in his bag. "Give me- just a sec-"

Minsung stands there for a solid two minutes while Dongho searches through his bag, and he's about to offer assistance when Dongho shoves a piece of paper into his hands. 

What?

"Tickets to the launch of _Find a Way_ ," Dongho grins, and Minsung gapes at him. "I didn't know if you had some already, so-"

"How did you get these?"

"I know the developer," Dongho vaguely replies, and Minsung nods, gaze falling to the tickets. 

"Wow. I- _wow_. _Thank you_ , Dongho-yah."

"Don't mention it," Dongho hums, turning back to Jun. "It's tomorrow, if you want to bring a friend."

" _Tomorrow_?"

* * *

Minsung's going to vibrate out of his skin.

"Calm _down_ ," Kyunghun sighs, and Minsung shakes his head, his phone clutched in a death grip.

"Hun, Hun, Hunnie, you don't _get it_. This is the _dev reveal_. I'm going to get to see _the D.Min_ perform all the character's themes _live_. You _don't understand_."

"Calm down," Kyunghun repeats, and Minsung makes a small screaming noise.

The lights dim, and Minsung joins in the cheering as the curtain rises, revealing a piano and guitar on-stage.

_"Ladies and Gentlemen... Find a Way's developer, D.Min!"_

A figure strides out, a microphone in his grasp, and Minsung fucking _stares_.

Dongho.

His boyfriend, _Kang Dongho,_ who _works at a daycare_ , is the _developer of Find a Way_.

What the _fuck_. 

"Good evening," Dongho states, and Minsung makes another small screaming noise. "My name is Kang Dongho, and I'm the developer, composer, and voice actor for Jaeho of _Find a Way_."

Minsung's going to fucking die. It's happening here and now. This is where he dies.

"This project has been in development for three years, and I'd like to thank everyone for their love and support. Originally, it was meant to be a way to simulate friends - making myself and the kinds of people I'd most like to know - but somewhere along the line, it became a way to _make them_. And for that, I'm so, immeasurably grateful."

He smiles, and squeals ring through the space.

Honestly, mood.

"I'd like to dedicate this launch to my parents, my friends, and my boyfriend," Dongho states, and Minsung's going to fucking _scream_. "He's actually here tonight, but I don't think he'd appreciate me dragging him up on stage, so just know he's here."

That's a fucking lie. Minsung would _love_ to stand on-stage with him.

"Now, without further ado, please enjoy 'February Dawn'."

"You dick," Minsung whispers, tears stinging his eyes as the first chords of "February Dawn" ring through the space. "You- you _dick_."

God, how did he get so lucky?

**Author's Note:**

> a cut scene: 
> 
> "Are you gonna marry Dongho-hyung?"
> 
> Minsung chokes on his drink, and Dongho ducks his head, trying to hide his amusement.
> 
> He's not succeeding.
> 
> "'cause," Minsoo frowns, "then Junnie-yah and I would be related, and I don't wanna be related to Junnie-yah."
> 
> "Really?" Dongho asks, and Minsoo nods. 
> 
> "'cause I'm gonna marry him!"
> 
> This time, it's Dongho that chokes on his drink.
> 
> "I thought..."
> 
> Jaewon sniffs, reaching up to tug at Minsoo's sweater. "I thought you were gonna marry me an' Daehyun?"
> 
> "I'll marry all of you!" Minsoo proudly proclaims, and Dongho still seems to be having some difficulty breathing.
> 
> "You do that," Minsung teases, taking another sip from his tea. "I'll support you the entire way."
> 
> (he gets the chance to prove it twenty years later when an invitation comes in the mail - a wedding invitation.
> 
> never let it be said that Lee Minsoo is not one stubborn bastard.)
> 
> plot bunny given to me by wildforwyld, thank you cat!!!
> 
> [twit](https://twitter.com/i_was_human_) | [lit fic discord!](https://discord.gg/CNunB74)


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